Richard Black

Harry Richard Black (October 10, 1921 – March 30, 2014) was an American

Richard Black was born on October 10, 1921, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.^[1] He enrolled at Syracuse University, but left the school to enlist in the Army Air Corps during World War II.^[1] He moved to Ohio after the war and opened an art studio in Dayton.^[1] He also taught art at both the University of Dayton and Sinclair Community College on a part-time basis for years.^[1]

Career

Black, who spent much of his career as a commercial artist, worked on projects for a number of companies, ranging from

Procter & Gamble wanted Black to design a bald man (or genie) with a nose ring.[1] Black created two versions of the genie, one with a nose ring and one without the ring.^[1] Procter & Gamble decided to use Black's image without the ring as Mr. Clean.^[1] Mr. Clean products were first released to consumers in 1958.^[1] A television and radio ad campaign, utilizing Black's Mr. Clean mascot, accompanied the launch of the product line.^[1] The company still uses the Mr. Clean character in its marketing, as of 2014.^[1]

Artist and painter

In addition to his commercial work, Black was also a

Black died at his home in Kettering, Ohio, on March 30, 2014, at the age of 92.^[1] A member of the Fairmont Presbyterian Church, he was survived by his three sons, Richard, Christopher and Timothy, and seven grandchildren. His wife, Virginia Black, died in 2003.^[1]

See also

• Commercial character design

References